


Going Up

by civillove



Series: seblaine week 2k19 [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 18:03:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20178463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/civillove/pseuds/civillove
Summary: Seblaine week 2019 - WIP (stuck in an elevator)--Sebastian’s eyebrows crinkle together and he takes a step towards the buttons, pressing on 10 and 17 a few times but nothing happens. “Huh.”“Huh? What do you mean huh?”“I think we’re stuck.”Blaine’s eyes widen because what? no, they…they can’t be stuck, that’s not possible.





	Going Up

Blaine doesn’t live what he’d call an interesting or exciting life.

_He _enjoys it, which he supposes that’s all that matters, but it’s nothing to write home about. He’s got a paid internship (within itself it’s sort of unheard of) at this hole in the wall art gallery in Brooklyn, which always seems to have really interesting rotating installations. It’s definitely not what he thought he was going to do when he graduated college but he kinda loves it, and not only that but it frees up his nights to play the piano and sing at a downtown bar, so, everything works out.

Sometimes his schedule feels crammed and messy, running in and out of his apartment from one job to the next, trying not to stretch himself too thin or overbook—but he likes being busy. He knows it’s not the best all the time but for now? he’s making it work. And the extra money from all the time put it certainly doesn’t suck.

_His roommate Sam sits on the couch with no shirt on and a light wash pair of jeans that have some sort of coffee stain near his knee. “I’m just saying,” He watches Blaine pace back in forth in the living room, trying to come up with a plan of space for the next incoming artist at the gallery. “You don’t slow down you’re gonna run yourself into the ground.” _

_“I’ll be fine,” Blaine mumbles but he’s only half listening, mapping out details in his mind, end of a pen in his mouth. “It’s nothing I haven’t done before.” _

_“I know,” Sam tuts, mouth around a spoon, “That’s what I’m saying—you just got over being sick and now you’re back into work again?”_

_Blaine lets out a long sigh, “Okay, but what if I tell the artist that they’re going to have to hang their work diagonally instead of vertically?” _

_Sam raises an eyebrow, “You’re gonna try and tell an artist how to hang _their _work?”_

_He winces and looks back down at the coffee table where there’s a layout of the installation in question, “Good point. Maybe if I split it onto two walls instead of one?” _

_Blaine looks to his friend for his input and Sam just stares at him, raising an eyebrow because he’s avoiding the topic they were on before all this. The shorter rolls his eyes and runs a hand through his hair, _

_“I asked for your help with the gallery, not your judgment.” He tosses a pen at him which hits Sam in the shoulder and nearly falls into his cereal. _

_“Hey, I’m not judging you. I’m worried about you; don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same for me.” He puts the bowl down on the installation layouts and Blaine lets out a soft grunt of disapproval, shuffling papers before they can get a milk ring on them. “Will you just hear me out?” _

_Blaine holds his gaze for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek before nodding. _

_“All I’m saying is that a few days off wouldn’t kill you—we’re ahead on the rent, the bills are taken care of for this month.” Sam studies him for a moment and it’s like he’s reading words directly printed on his skin. They’ve been friends for a long time, so Sam knows what this is really all about. _

_“It’s one thing to want to be busy, it’s another to not take care of yourself.” _

_Blaine’s skin prickles at the accusation even though he’s one hundred percent right—and even then, he’s finding the urge to defend himself bubble up in his stomach and work up his ribcage. _

_“That’s…that’s not even true, I got a cold that stuck around for a while, so what? It’s not from working a lot, I can handle it.” _

_“I didn’t say you couldn’t—”_

_“And even if it was from working,” Blaine argues. “I like to keep busy, okay? When I’m busy and running around doing errands and making myself feel useful I don’t have to think about—” He stops short, his throat closing around the words. _

_Sam watches him carefully, a soft sigh leaving his lips before he nods. “Dude, I know. And just like I’ve said each time we bring this up—Kurt’s a dick who doesn’t realize what he’s missing.” _

_Blaine swallows, that same familiar pain starting to build up in his chest at the mention of his ex, tears burning the back of his eyes even though he feels like he’s cried enough. “Yeah, and yet I’m the one he cheated on, I’m the one he left.” _

_Sam stands up from the couch and moves to squeeze his shoulder and Blaine sniffles because this is ridiculous, it’s been a few months_, _and…and he’s got work to do. He shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose, letting out a soft sigh. _

_“I’m fine,” He tries to tell his friend, showing him a small smile. “Promise, okay?” _

_Sam rolls his eyes but at least looks convinced for now, “Yeah, alright. I just need you to take care of yourself…I can’t do it for the both of us, I can barely do it for myself.” _

_A soft laugh leaves Blaine’s lips as he watches him pick up his cereal bowl and walk back into the kitchen. Yeah, that at least? He believes. He’s pretty sure Sam took that bowl out of the dishwasher which was loaded with dirty dishes instead of clean ones. _

So yeah, okay, he’s juggling a lot but he can handle it.

Besides his schedule and the way it’s working out just so happens to place him in the elevator of his apartment complex during the best hours of the day—when a hot stranger is in the same lift with him.

Okay, yeah, small accomplishment but he’s taking what’s being given to him okay?

Blaine sometimes sees him twice: once before work in the morning, when he’s getting onto the elevator to head down to the lobby with a whole day in front of him. He’s usually in the back corner when Blaine gets on, reading a newspaper, sometimes with a cup of to-go coffee in his hand, never looking up until they reach the final floor. The elevator is always crowded in the morning, a few times Blaine barely makes it on and has to shove his satchel against his chest and carry it like a baby.

Twice is at the end of the night, when he’s coming home from the bar and sometimes smells like stale beer and skin, curls wild on his head from sweating while passionately playing the piano and sharing too many drinks with customers. The handsome stranger is usually in the lobby when he wanders in, checking his mailbox of all things, and they end up in the lift together.

It’s just them though, compared to mornings.

The space somehow feels so much bigger and smaller all at the same time and when Blaine allows himself to sneak glances at him, he takes in how tall the other guy is. Tall and skinny but with defined muscle under clothes that fit him well, always a business suit, but his jacket’s off when he comes home from wherever he works. His hair is swept lazily to the left, tired green eyes focused on the doors of the elevator and he gets off on floor 17 without a word to Blaine.

They do this dance for about a month and thank _God _the handsome stranger finally says something to him because he’s starting to feel like that weird guy in the Netflix original _You _except with a lot less creepy stalking and murder.

“You’re not stalking me, are you?”

Well, shit. Blaine turns to look at him and sputters out a weird noise because, “What? No—I, no. We…clearly live in the same—”

“Relax,” He laughs softly, sticking his hands into his pockets. “I’m teasing you. I’m kinda used to that whole staring routine you go through; I have that effect on people.”

Blaine blinks, unsure of what to say; instead he turns his head to look at the floors rising. Is this guy teasing him, flirting with him, inciting him for harassment, what?

“I just figured I should get your name if we’re going to keep meeting like this.” He smiles and reaches his hand towards him, “I’m Sebastian Smythe, I live on floor seventeen.”

He bites his tongue on saying something stupid like _I’ve noticed _and shakes his hand, the grip firm and a little cold to the touch, “Blaine. Blaine Anderson, I uh, I live on ten.”

Sebastian bites down on his lower lip, squeezing his hand before letting go. “You…are aware we’ve skipped your floor, right?”

Blaine pulls back and goes pink, the blushing working its way to the back of his neck because…because he got into the elevator and never even pressed his floor. The taller smirks and presses 10 for him, the button lighting up even though the elevator just passed 13.

“What has you coming home so late all the time? Boyfriend?”

He clears his throat and shakes his head, looking down at his feet. “I could ask you the same thing.” It’s not that he doesn’t want to share, it’s just…he’s thrown for a moment by the question, a healing wound still fresh and painful when poked.

Sebastian seems to sense this though, that he needs to give a little in order to get, so he does: “I work at a law office, small firm but we get shit done.” He lets out a long sigh. “Some cases take longer than others—I don’t like bringing work home with me so I try and get as much done at the office as possible. That means late nights.”

Blaine nods and he allows his mind to wander for a moment because…he can’t imagine working at a place like that. The gallery is hard but it’s probably nothing compared to a law office. What keeps him late definitely isn’t as taxing—except on his vocal cords sometimes.

Sebastian is looking at him expectantly and Blaine realizes that oh, right, it’s his turn to offer why he wanders into the apartment complex late. “Uh, no boyfriend. I work at a bar nearby, just some singing that’s all.”

Sebastian hums, eyes traveling over his form appreciatively. “Cute and he can sing, what a catch.”

Blaine smiles and looks up, a soft teasing tone to his voice when he says, “I didn’t say I could sing _well.” _

The elevator dings on 17 and the doors open, Sebastian pausing a moment as he walks towards the doors, “There’s really no doubt in my mind that you do,” He smiles and it hits Blaine all at once like a ton of bricks when he realizes he’s _flirting with him, _“Goodnight Blaine Anderson from 10.”

And winks as the doors close.

\--

It happens a few more times, on and off, sometimes they have conversations in the morning and others at night when Sebastian gets back from the law office or checking his mail. Each time Blaine thinks he’s going to build up the courage to ask him out on a date…and each time he gets off on floor 10 without going through with it.

They slowly get to know one another, and that’s nice, even though it’s odd little snapshots because they spend a total of five minutes together before Blaine gets off on his floor. Sometimes it’s an odd number of ten when they have to wait for the elevator to reach the lobby.

They talk about work and New York and food and friends and family. Sebastian asks him what his favorite sea creature is and Blaine wants to know if he had to be a kitchen appliance which one he’d be. They talk about holidays, birthdays and places they remember growing up. Sebastian asks him if he’s a cat or dog person and Blaine throws back if he watches _Stranger Things_ (and teasingly makes fun of him when he learns he doesn’t).

Sebastian leans against the wall of the elevator, fixing Blaine with a look that makes his stomach flutter. “So, you’re telling me…not even once?”

Blaine laughs softly, rubbing the back of his neck. “No, it’s not exactly on the top list of my priorities.”

“But you’ve never thought about doing it? Like if you could get away with it, where you’d do it?”

He chews on his lower lip and turns his shoulder as well so that they’re facing one another, his eyes tracing along the strong outline of Sebastian’s jaw. “Maybe I don’t think about voyeurism as much as you do.”

“Voyeurism is not public sex, that’s not what I’m asking you.” Sebastian runs a hand through his hair and Blaine _seriously _did not think that they’d end up here, talking on an elevator at eleven PM about this kinda stuff. “I asked if you could have sex with someone and get away with it, in public, where would you try and do it.”

Blaine shakes his head, cheeks dotting pink just a little. “I wouldn’t…”

Sebastian hums, watching him a moment, “Don’t lie to me Blaine Anderson from 10, you’re far more interesting than that.”

He draws in a soft breath, nearly getting lost in the green of Sebastian’s eyes and…the way he looks at him sometimes, like he’s the only one he talks to like this, the only one who lives in this apartment complex or Brooklyn even. He’s getting to know Sebastian better and better as time goes on but what he already knows? He’s good at reading people, digging under their skin, peeling their layers back and figuring out what makes them tick. He’s good at making him feel like his opinion is the only one that matters to him.

And he’s probably one hell of a lawyer because of it.

“Don’t tell me you never thought about fooling around with someone in an empty classroom in college or…a dressing room at Target. The bathroom at the bar you work at?” He chews on his lower lip, very deliberately. “A hand job in an elevator on a slow night?”

And thank God the elevator dings on his floor because Blaine’s pretty sure he’s going to faint from being overheated, the press and warmth of Sebastian’s body far too close, short circuiting his brain and any words that might have come out in response.

“Night Blaine Anderson from 10.”

Blaine barely manages a wave as the door closes.

\--

When Blaine wanders into his apartment, Sam is making a frozen pizza. He sets his satchel down on the kitchen counter, “Seriously? It’s like eleven-fifteen at night.”

His roommate looks over his shoulder, shrugging as he checks the temperature for the oven and drums a fork and knife against the empty pizza box, “I didn’t choose pizza, it chose me. I can’t just ignore the call—you don’t ghost the Red Baron.” He points to the icon on the box, a guy with aviator goggles and it’s right then Blaine decides he’s not going to try and argue with him about this.

The kitchen is quiet for a few moments as he watches Sam grab a Pepsi from the fridge and take a plate out of the cabinet above the sink, chewing on his lower lip as he considers…

“So you remember that guy I told you about? From the elevator?”

“You mean the one you were stalking?” Sam asks, hint of amusement in his tone but he doesn’t look up at him.

Blaine’s cheeks flush pink, “I was _not—” _He shakes his head, not going there, “Anyways, I’ve been talking to him on and off for the past month when we’re in the lift together and uh…I’m pretty sure he just hinted that he wants to have sex with me.”

Sam snorts, opening up his can of Pepsi with a sizzled _pop. _“No shit, really? What he like, ask you or somethin’?”

“I mean…not in so many words but there was definitely some inference.”

“That’s a good thing, right? I mean, that’s what you wanted? You’ve been attracted to this guy for a while now. At least you’re talking to him, far less creepy.”

Blaine rolls his eyes, “Yeah, it’s good. It’s all good.” He nods his head softly and picks at the corner of the pizza box. “I guess I just didn’t expect…”

Sam sees where he’s going with this a mile away and picks up the pizza box to throw at him. It hits him square in the chest and he lets out a little dignified huff that his roommate ignores, “What? You didn’t expect he’d think you’re hot? God, you’re an idiot.”

“Thanks, I think.” He brushes the box onto the floor with a soft laugh and runs his fingers through his loose curls. He should probably shower before he crawls into bed but he can’t be bothered. “So what should I do?”

Sam blinks at him, “Uh…listen bud, that whole gay sex stuff is really a…I can’t tell you what to do there—”

“Oh my God, Sam,” He scrunches his nose, quickly interrupting him. “I mean should I…ask him out or?”

“Oh,” Sam smiles, spinning to check on his pizza in the oven. “Yeah, you want to, don’t you? I mean, you don’t have to marry the dude but I think it’d be a nice break from…”

He lets the end of his sentence hang in the air and Blaine nods a little because, yes, it really would. Blaine sits up as the pizza dings and Sam takes it out of the oven; the ends a little overdone, the middle a little under. He wonders if it’s still frozen in the center—Sam’s totally gonna eat it anyways.

Blaine bites on his lower lip, “Yeah, I want to. I guess I just don’t know how to go about it.”

Sam scoffs out a laugh and starts cutting the pizza into haphazard, uneven slices, giving him one on a plate even though he didn’t ask. “B if he’s asking you about sex in an elevator it’s going to be easy to ask him out on a date.” He takes two bites out of a slice, “Seriously.”

Blaine chuckles a little and watches him eat pizza for a moment before picking at his own piece.

He hopes he’s right.

\--

Except it doesn’t go that way because Blaine is a capital C coward and never asks Sebastian out.

But it’s not like Sebastian bites the bullet either; they just keep meeting in the elevator, talking about random things like favorite dessert, food Blaine hates (it’s seafood) and why Sebastian loves coffee (but won’t drink it from Starbucks).

He doesn’t know why he’s having such a rough time with this—it shouldn’t be, they’ve already gone past the hard part. They got to know the oddest parts of one another all from talking on an elevator. They discussed public sex for Christ’s sake, anything else should have been gravy.

Going on an actual date would be a nice change of pace though and Blaine thinks about how much better it’d be if he talked to Sebastian at a restaurant or in one of their apartments over dinner. Watching a movie on the couch, drinking wine—

He wouldn’t say no to kissing either because he can’t help but consider it.

Of course, they’d have to _get _to that point and it’s all Blaine can think about as he walks back into the apartment complex after the bar, same old time as usual. He yawns and rubs the back of his neck, opening up another button on his shirt as he spies Sebastian checking his mail. Why can’t he just ask him out? Or better yet, why doesn’t _Sebastian _do it? Is he nervous like he is? Then again, Blaine finds that hard to believe—this was the same person who was talking about public sex a few nights ago in the space they’re about to walk into.

“Long night?” Sebastian asks, his eyes traveling over Blaine’s form.

He wonders if he looks as tired as he feels, leaning against the wall as Sebastian hits the call button for the elevator. “Yeah,” He offers a small smile, “Song requests were just horrible tonight.”

“Too many Spice Girls suggestions?” Sebastian asks, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Blaine lets out a soft laugh as the elevator dings, “No, but I’ve done my fair share of ‘If You Wanna Be My Lover’.” He leans up off the wall, shuffling inside after Sebastian, “It was actually someone who wanted ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’.” The taller winces in sympathy and Blaine nods, “Yeah, bad break up I guess.”

The doors close with a soft click and Sebastian sticks his hands in his pockets. “…but you totally sang it, right?”

He grins and he’s about to reply when the elevator shudders and jolts to a stop. Blaine’s stomach jumps up in his throat, glancing at the numbered buttons that indicate the floors, the lights flickering and causing his pulse to quicken.

“What just…”

Sebastian’s eyebrows crinkle together and he takes a step towards the buttons, pressing on 10 and 17 a few times but nothing happens. “Huh.”

“Huh? What do you mean huh?”

“I think we’re stuck.”

Blaine’s eyes widen because _what? _no, they…they can’t be stuck, that’s not possible. He takes a step forward and regrets that instantly when the elevator creaks and shifts, dropping a few inches, just enough to throw him off balance. He squeaks and his foot slips and he lands on the ground, hard, bumping the back of his head against the side of the elevator.

Sebastian grabs onto the railing, the lights above them flickering again, on and off and back on again. Blaine groans, leaning up, holding onto the back of his head a moment.

“Ouch.”

“Jesus,” Sebastian mutters under his breath, looking up at the ceiling like it might tell them why they’ve stopped. Then he kneels next to him, a hand gently falling to his shoulder, giving him a light squeeze. “You alright?”

“Yeah, I just,” Blaine rubs the small knot appearing on the crown of his head. “I’ll be fine. Not seeing double or anything.”

Sebastian smiles a little, sitting on the floor across from him. “Well, that’s a relief.”

Blaine looks up at the numbered buttons, frowning as his stomach starts to do that thing where it twists inside out because—because they’re _stuck _and how many floors up did they go and will the elevator keep shifting down until they just fall and get squished or what—

“Did you push the wrong button?” Like, maybe he accidently hit ‘emergency stop’ or something.

Sebastian scrunches his nose, “What? No, I know how to work an elevator Blaine.”

He doesn’t appreciate the level of annoyance that’s seeping under his tone; he’s almost talking to him as if he’s a small child asking a stupid question. Elevators don’t just…stop and, “You weren't even looking when you pressed our floors, you could have hit something on accident.”

“Oh, come on, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon. I think I know how to press floor buttons correctly.”

He sits up against the wall, unbuttoning a few more buttons on his shirt because…because is it suddenly hot in here? Blaine swallows thickly, glancing at the walls around them, a little paranoid that they’re somehow moving in on him and Sebastian, crushing them together. It’s a semi- busy apartment building but what if no one finds them until morning? What if no one thinks they’re in trouble—what if help doesn’t get to them before they plummet to their death?

“You okay?” Sebastian asks after a moment, eyes traveling over his face and reading him too easy.

Blaine squeaks out a frustrated noise because, “I’m fine, why don’t I seem fine? It’s fine.”

Sebastian smirks, leaning his head back against the opposite wall, drawing his legs up a little so he’s seated more comfortably. “Well, judging from the amount of times you’ve said ‘fine’ in a single sentence is giving you away.”

How can he be so calm and collected about all this? Doesn’t he get that they’re hanging in a very heavy box that could fall at any second? God it feels like his heart is about to burst out of his chest, sweat gathering nervously along the back of his neck.

Sebastian runs his hand through his hair, the muscles of his jaw working as he watches him, “You look like you’re about to pass out, B, take some breaths. Relax, we barely went up two floors—at this rate if the elevator drops we’re not gonna die.”

…how is that supposed to be comforting? “There’s still the lobby, the gym and the basement.”

He thinks about it for a moment, pursing his lips, “Okay, five floors, big deal.”

Blaine definitely reconsiders all the times he wanted to ask him out before motioning towards the elevator buttons. “Will you just…use the emergency call button before I have a heart attack, please?”

He watches him move slowly towards the doors, pushing the button. He waits a moment but nothing happens, the sound of a soft crackling responding back to them. He pushes it again and a small light signals that the call connects but…once again, nothing.

Sebastian holds the button in, “Uh, hello?”

Nothing.

Blaine starts to feel panic well up inside his rib cage, threatening to spill over. He decides he’s going to lean his head back and close his eyes, maybe focus on counting to ten because the last thing he wants to do is _freak _out in this enclosed space when that’s not going to help anything.

“Hello?” Sebastian says again. “Not sure if anyone’s around, though I feel like someone _should _be seeing as how it’s a fucking emergency button, but what do I know?” He can hear the eyeroll in his tone of voice. “The elevators stuck, two passengers inside, looks like we’re between floors two and three? Someone needs to get here soon or I’ll probably be forced to listen to renditions of ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’.”

His eyes snap open and he kicks Sebastian’s shin, hard, the taller wincing out a hissed ‘ow’ before leaning away from the emergency call button. “Jesus, I’m kidding.”

“You think this is funny?” Blaine asks, his voice clipped.

The other shrugs his one shoulder, back against the far wall again. “Just a little.”

“Well it’s _not _funny to me.” He hates that there’s a slight wavering to his words and he looks away from Sebastian before running a hand through his curls, trying to get a handle on himself.

It’s quiet for a few moments between them, nothing but the sound of their shared breathing, Blaine’s heartbeat in his ears and metal shifting underneath them when they move slightly in the lift.

“You afraid of heights?” Sebastian asks after a moment. “I think that’s a topic we didn’t get to; fears, stuff like that.”

Blaine’s eyes fall on the other male, taking in his calm and collected expression and is immediately envious once again. How is he not worried? How is he not scared? He lets out a slow breath before swallowing, not even wanting to talk to him but the silence for the alternative? He’ll end up driving himself crazy, or worse, the walls will start moving in on him again and he won’t be able to breathe—

“No, not exactly,” Blaine shifts, trying to straighten his back a little. He winces slightly, touching the back of his head as pain pinpricks along his temples. “I’m terrified of elevators falling, yeah, if that’s what you mean.”

Sebastian leans up a little, a soft smile tugging the ends of his mouth. “We’re gonna be fine, alright? Also, I was serious about not being up that high. Even if we fall—”

“Please, can we _not_ talk about that?” Blaine begs, shaking his head as his hands begin trembling. “If you want to talk about…about fears, then fine. What are you afraid of?”

He sighs, looking to the ceiling of the elevator before, “Alright fine. I’m afraid of rats.”

“_Rats?” _He raises his eyebrows, “Really?”

Sebastian scrunches his nose, “Yes, beady eyes and long tails.” He shivers for dramatic effect. “Long ass teeth.”

Blaine sits up a little further and leans forward, “I cannot believe you’re afraid of rats—do you have any idea how smart they are? They really get a bad rap, I mean, people like squirrels or—”

“People do _not _like squirrels, you like squirrels; you’re a Disney prince.”

“—hamsters, guinea pigs, like, what’s wrong with rats?” It’s not until he’s midway through his argument does he notice a look on Sebastian’s face; amused but softer around the edges. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m not really afraid of rats, I just knew you’d defend them like your life somehow depended on it.” Blaine’s mouth opens a little, that same blush coming back to brush over his cheekbones. “It’s cute, really. Like I said; Disney prince.”

He rubs the back of his neck as he realizes Sebastian was just trying to get his mind off of…all this and something warm blossoms in his chest at the thought. “Okay, so if you’re really not afraid of rats, what _are _you afraid of?”

Sebastian’s quiet for a moment and then tilts his head at Blaine, “Surgery.” He waits for him to expand on his response, “I had an aunt that never woke up from getting something simple, you know, work on her hips.” He shrugs his one shoulder, not entirely comfortable with sharing this information.

Blaine chews on his lower lip a moment. “Is that why you wanted to be a lawyer?”

A ghost of a smile appears on Sebastian’s lips but it’s gone as soon as it appears. “It wasn’t malpractice, just bad luck.”

He can sense the shift in conversation because out of all the odds and ends things they’ve talked about over the past month; it’s never been anything very serious. Blaine feels like they’ve crossed over some hidden boundary line, something different settles in the air between them, electrically charged.

“I’m afraid of heights, obviously,” Blaine clears his throat. “But like…sometimes really big storms too? All the thunder and lightning being so close, even when I’m safely in my apartment—”

“Yeah I get it,” Sebastian muses. “Can really feel like it’s in the room with you, it’s so loud and bright.” He smiles a little, nudging Blaine’s leg with his own. “Though if you ever need a thunderstorm buddy, you can always come find me.”

Blaine lets out a soft laugh, shaking his head as he leans back against the wall again but doesn’t reply to his offer.

“Why do you do that?”

The shorter fixes him with a look, confusion pinching between his eyes. “Do what?”

“Every time I hit on you; you act like I didn’t.”

_Oh. _That…that wasn’t exactly his intention but he supposes he just doesn’t know how to deal with compliments, with flattery, never has. He somehow gets overwhelmed and doesn’t know what to say. His ex would say stuff that made him blush, he could make him feel handsome or cute but…Sebastian somehow takes that and ramps it up to the next level.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?”

That’s such a _loaded _question that he’s not sure he has time to unpack. It’s just…rare meeting someone who makes him feel _sexy, _wanted even, and it’s definitely not easy for him to adjust to.

“Yes,” Blaine says honestly, “You make me uncomfortable but it’s…it’s not a bad thing. I just…” He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I just want to make sure I’m getting this right,” Sebastian interrupts, “From our conversations I’ve gathered that you’ve been living in this apartment complex for a few years, you’ve been hitting on me from afar for about two months—that includes the one month we’ve been talking to one another and you’ve never…_once _tried to ask me out?”

His mouth falls open because that hardly seems fair, “I—it’s not as easy as it looks, okay? I wasn’t even sure you were interested in me. You can talk to the same person all the time and still not want to go out with them.”

Sebastian snorts, “You talk about handjobs with just anyone?” He presses to which Blaine just…shrugs a shoulder because he doesn’t know what else to say. The taller sighs, running a hand over his face, “I’m not sure how you can be so observant and dense all at the same time. You really think I like getting my mail at ten o’clock at night?”

He lets out a soft breath, about to reply when…wait, _what? _“You…don’t get your mail at ten?”

“I mean, I do, but I wait around in the lobby for you to wander in at eleven.” He holds his gaze a long moment. “All those times you were noticing me, you really had no clue that I was noticing you too?”

Blaine blinks because, no, really—all this time he had been quietly admiring him from afar, he _never _considered that Sebastian was doing the exact same thing.

“Honestly, I didn’t see that coming.” Blaine admits and leans his head up off the wall, wincing as pain starts to throb outward towards his temples. “The reason I haven’t asked you out yet is…”

“Bad breakup?” Sebastian guesses, moving to his side of the elevator. He settles down next to him, a soft sigh leaving his lips, “Here, let me try something.”

Blaine looks down at the other’s hands and nods softly, Sebastian’s fingers slipping behind his head. He settles his forefinger and thumb right above his neck and presses, softly rubbing a few moments afterward. He doesn’t know what to be more surprised about: the fact that Sebastian knew about his terrible breakup or the fact that his headache is slowly disappearing. The pain isn’t gone completely but…it’s definitely much better.

He opens his mouth a little in surprise and Sebastian smiles gently, shrugging his one shoulder. “Pressure point.”

Blaine hums and allows his eyes to close, leaning back into his touch. “Yeah, breakup.” He sighs, “How did you know?”

“Well clearly the issue isn’t with me.” And a soft laugh tumbles out of Blaine’s mouth at the sheer amount of confidence in that statement.

“He cheated on me,” He admits softly, his words somehow filling the small space of the elevator. “Left me for someone else.”

Sebastian’s quiet for some time, continuing to rub the back of his head, fingers slipping to the muscles of his neck every so often. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m kinda glad he did,” He opens up his eyes and turns to look at him. “Otherwise you’d probably be stuck on an elevator with him.”

Blaine holds his gaze for a long moment, eyes flickering down to his lips and considers him a long moment before leaning forward. Sebastian’s hand slips down his neck and settles on his back as he closes the distance between them, his lips soft and a little dry as they kiss. Blaine’s heart rams in his chest as he’s pulled closer, hand on his hip, encouraging him to straddle Sebastian’s waist.

Their mouths never leave one another, working in unison, soft mewls leaving his throat as Sebastian slips his tongue between his lips.

There’s the briefest of questions running through his head like _is he actually going to do this? Are you actually going to fuck around with this guy in an elevator? _But he knows his body has already made up his mind for him.

Just when his hand slips between their bodies, the elevator moans as metal crunches open and—and there’s the fire department outside the doors, looking in at them. They’ve obviously had to pry the doors open and Blaine feels like a deer in the headlights as he looks up at the men clearly trying to rescue them.

Guess that call really did go through.

They’re stuck between two floors and one of the firemen leans his head down to look at them, raising an eyebrow, “Want us to come back later or?”

Blaine nearly injures himself skittering off of Sebastian’s lap and probably would have knocked his head on the other railing if there weren’t strong hands helping him. He stands quickly and exchanges a look with Sebastian, who of course doesn’t look embarrassed at all—typical, and waits for instructions on how they’re going to get out of there.

\--

It takes about an hour but he and Sebastian are finally on solid ground again. An EMT checks him out and lets him know that he probably has a concussion but that he doesn’t need to go to the emergency room unless he starts feeling dizzy or vomiting. That’s a relief because all he wants to do is go to his apartment and hide under the covers from this harrowing and awkward experience.

They’re on floor three so he has to make his way up to ten and god, the last thing he wants to do is steps…but it’s probably going to be a minute until he steps into an elevator again. They make their way up, a comfortable silence between them and when Blaine reaches for the handle of floor ten, Sebastian makes a soft, disappointed noise.

“Giving up so soon?”

Blaine turns, a smile tugging at the ends of his mouth, holding an ice pack to the back of his head from the EMT. “If you think I’m going to walk up seven more flights of stairs for you…”

Sebastian grins, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Come on, we could pick up where we left off.”

And while that sounds tempting, he should let Sebastian know where he’s coming from…and what he’s actually interested in. “Listen, that was…I’m not saying I’m regretting where that was going but I was definitely influenced by the situation at hand.” That information does not seem to bother him, which is good but, “I don’t want just to fool around, I want…to go out. Like on actual dates.”

Sebastian nods, licking his lips. “Does our first one have to actually be outside my apartment? I could…make us some food.”

“It’s almost one AM.”

“My offer still stands.” He smirks, “And if we just so happen to kiss again then so be it, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

A laugh sneaks out of Blaine’s throat, “I don’t know if you’re capable of that.”

Sebastian hums, “Guess you'll just have to get to know me to find out.”

Blaine smiles but he’s already walking towards the next set of steps, “Depends on what food you’re going to make.”

The other scoffs, following him up, “Please, like there’s any other food to make at one AM. Mac n cheese.”

Walking up the next seven floors is completely worth it.


End file.
